The Hughes Get Bolivian Residency... FINALLY!

I know it’s been awhile since our friends and family have heard from us --- SORRY ABOUT THAT! The last 6 weeks have been a bit hectic with us trying to get residency. I don’t know if you remember,..... but one week after we arrived in Bolivia (last October), all of the laws changed for allowing people to apply for residency. The result? What usually would have been a 30-day process has taken us almost 5 months.  But as of last week we finally got our one-year residency and can legally stay in Bolivia now until March 2016 -- YEAH!

We're just trying to take one day at at time -- letting Jehovah's will guide us -- and enjoying the time we've been given to experience Bolivia. There’s been a lot of activity going on here, and the ministry is keeping everyone busy. Little by little we’re getting situated, and everyone has Bible Studies (except me). I’m still trying but it’s harder because of the language barrier. It’s easy for me to get good return visits, but then to actually study the Bible has been more of a challenge. I enjoyed reading the article this week in our Ministry School about the couple that went to serve in Taiwan. I read that whole article right before coming to Bolivia, and read it again this week.  It reminded me of other challenges people go through in trying to learn a new langugage and to be patient with yourself and just do what you can -- and how even just giving out a tract helps.

The preaching here is really wonderful in that it’s very easy to talk to people.  A typical field service morning is we walk for 15 to 20 minutes to meet with the group, then walk for 2 or 3 hours (sometimes up and down steep hills). I usually average 6-8 good return visits.  While you do find some people that don’t listen or don't want the literature -- it’s rare for that to happen. Below are some pictures of our territory in Tarija!

The ministry here is really nice but also very physical. There are pros and cons to that. It defintely helps you get in shape and stay active, but at the same time there isn't alot of room for having a nice and relaxing service day. You know that no matter how you're feeling, to go out in the ministry is going to require a certain amount of physical exertion. It can be really hot some days, and the sun is pretty intense (you have to use an umbrella to protect you). So, there are days when I wake up and have to mentally push myself to go out, knowing it's going to be physically draining.

The congregation has made us feel very welcome, and while we only have two Elders for 110 publishers (one of them is single and cute ladies -- OK, I'LL STOP!), and I know they're stretched really thin, they've gone out of their way to take an interest in us and to let us know they're glad we came. The weather is nice here, but our winter begins in May and we have been told it can get pretty cold.  But to Bolivians once the temperature gets below 75 degrees they think it’s freezing.  It’s so funny to see them when it gets chilly -- you would think it was 20 degrees outside. I guess it’s all what you’re used to. You defintely have the feeling you've stepped back in time here. Bolivia has an Old World feel to it, with alot of customs and traditions and a rich culture that is very charming.

Here is another video of some Bolivian traditional folk dancing...

There’s been a lot happening here (like everywhere in Jehovah’s organization).  In Bolivia there’s been a big focus on getting the kingdom halls set-up with Internet. The Bolivian Bethel is very modern with the latest in technical equipment, including huge flat screens for the Convention.  But, a lot of the congregations in Bolivia still didn’t have internet.  But that is quickly changing and it’s really exciting to see Jehovah’s focus on helping the friends here take advantage of the new tools on JW.org. Internet here can be expensive, and so there are still alot of brothers and sisters that aren't able to access JW.org as much as they would like to. With more and more congregations now adding high-speed internet, the friends are now able to access and download alot more spiritual tools. It’s really cool!

As part of this change the Bolivia Bethel Branch had a special Zone Meeting in February.  It was really nice for us because we had to miss the special meeting in the US.  All of the congregations were invited to attend via broadcast, and was what really special is that two of the talks were given in English by a member of the Bethel Branch in Korea, and a member of the Governing Body (Goeffrey Jackson – he’s my favorite). The talks were given in English but then translated into Spanish. We also had our Circuit Assembly in February (this is our second one in Bolivia). Even though I still don’t understand most of what’s going on, it was really encouraging to go and visit with the brothers and sisters. It’s also a time to see and visit with a lot of the Need Greaters here. There are actually quite a lot of Need Greaters that have come to Tarija, but you don’t see them very much because everyone is in different areas (some as far as 3 hours away), but at the Circuit Assembly we all get to visit and make new friends.

Another highlight was that Connor came to visit us.  After a lot of prayer and consideration of us, he’s decided to move to Tarija.  The truth is we miss him. I feel sad that he has to leave Tiupani, but our life has been so crazy the last 2 years and now that we’ve all managed to somehow make it to Bolivia, we want to be together as a family.  Having Connor around makes us feel more like the old Hughes Family – AND IT’S NICE! There is a need (especially for brothers) all over Bolivia, and just 30 minutes from us is a group in the town of San Lorenzo. Right now there is a young couple serving there from Manchester, England and Connor has gotten to know them.  They have invited him to come and serve there. So, Connor arrives in Tarija on April 20^th. And while I know he’ll miss Tipuani, the guys still haven’t been able to find a clean place to rent, and every other day Connor is having to get critters out of the Kingdom Hall – like this bat!

So, while it’s a pretty jungle!

IT’S STILL A JUNGLE OUT THERE!

It was nice because while Connor was here, we also had some friends visit from Rurrenbaque (the Rain Forest).  Two of the sisters in this picture visited Tarija, along with a sister from Spain. They also came to our Circuit Assembly and so we got to visit with them and go out to dinner. Casia (the sister on the far left) is from Denmark and she came with the sister on the very right (Brigette). 

More news….. My parents arrive on April 25^th (unexpected surprise), and are planning on staying with me for about 3 months.  Our plan is to come back to Indy for a visit around mid-July (with my parents), and then if Jehovah wills it, head back to Bolivia the end of September. My parents use to be really adventuresome in their day (I guess that’s where I get it), but at 73 years old a lot of change can be hard. But, I think they’ll like it here and a lot of the English-speakers are excited they’re coming and want to meet them. The Bolivian family downstairs has even planned a "Welcome to Bolivia Party," for them. They're going to have everyone dress up in traditional Bolivian costumes and do alot of folk dancing. It will be a nice introduction to Bolivia.

I don't know if you remember, but when we first arrived last October we ran into a brother that used to go to our old congregation in Indianapolis (Jacob).  It was a really unexpected surprise.  He was only in Bolivia for a few weeks but we ran into him at the English convention in Cochabamba.  He was then able to arrange his chedule to spend some time with Connor. They got to go on a famous bike trail in the Andes mountains. It always amazes me that while Jehovah's organization is world-wide, you run into friends very unexpectedly that you didn't expect to see. 

Well, that's all the news -- not too much has been going on. We leave for Tipuani on March 28th for the Memorial.  The Kingdom Hall there needs some repairs and the friends need help inviting people to the Memorial.  They have a very huge territory and only 14 publishers. So, the girls and I along with a friend are going to go and help out the group there. We'll be in Tipuani for a week. It's funny because the girls got a call yesterday asking if they could be attendants and pass the emblems at the Memorial in Tipuani -- GUYS, THEY REALLY DO NEED BROTHERS HERE! So, I'll make sure to take lots of pictures and include our experience in the next blog. 

Well, it's time to wrap things up......and I thought I would end this blog with a special highlight from a recent meeting. One of the new features I've really enjoyed in the Ministry School is how two brothers now give certain talks on the school.  This week we had our talk given by two young brothers in our congregation. The brother on the left is Jordi and I can't rember the name of the other little guy on the right. Jordi is one of our Regular Pioneers whose parents moved here from Spain a few years ago. and he's one of the sweetest young brothers I've ever met. Our very first meeting Jordi made a point of coming up to us, giving us a big smile, shaking our hand, and welcoming us to the congregation.  Jordi is about 15 and I thought it was so sweet how he did this part with this little guy.

OK, it's almost th end. I thought you would enjoy some fun Hughes moments....... The family downstairs had these really cute kittens, and for a few crazy days we honestly thought about taking two of them. Then sanity returned, and we realized it wasn't very practical. But, some friends of ours from England did take one of the kittens and named him Alfred -- how very, very British. 

I hope all of our friends and family are doing well, we miss all of you and don't foregt about us. See you in July!

Love Tracy

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, the Hughes Family is Snoring….

Well, rainy season has definitely started in Bolivia. When we first arrived in Tarija it was dry and things were a bit brown (and ugly).  Now, it rains almost every day and it’s really green and pretty.  Some days it rains a lot, and other days just for a few hours. When it does rain, it’s pretty intense, pouring sheets on everything and everybody.  We’re told rainy season will last until the end of March. But even with the rain, we still have lots and lots of sunshine and warm weather (which I love)!

Because it’s dry where we live, we don’t tend to have too much flooding in Tarija, but in the tropics it’s a different story.   On January 15^th, the girls and I had just got home from meeting when we get this message and video from Connor.  In the town of Tipuani where he now lives, it’s rained so much that the river has over-flowed and they are experiencing massive flooding.  They've closed the town and have asked everyone to come to the center of town so that they could put up sand bags to protect that area.  In the meantime, the Government of La Paz has sent supplies and aid to help.

MY FIRST REACTION – SAVE YOURSELF!  – I tell him to hop on any kind of transportation he can find and get out of there (boat, car -- I don’t care).  He calmly tells me that he can’t leave because of the older ones in the congregation that might need help, and how he can’t just think about himself, and leave the rest of the friends there to fend for themselves? OK, I know he’s right, but for 2 days I’m totally stressed out, worried that my son is going to be washed away in South America. Here is a link to a news article so you can read more about the flooding (it’s always something): 

http://www.larepublica.pe/14-01-2015/bolivia-mas-de-500-han-quedado-damnificadas-por-inundaciones

But, after 2 days it stops raining, the water recedes, and he’s OK – YEAH!!!! As of now, he is still living inside the Kingdom Hall because they can’t find a clean place to rent.  But even the Kingdom Hall needs a lot of work.  The friends in Tipuani have had a hard time there.  It’s an isolated little town, and like a lot of towns in Bolivia, when you become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses it can isolate you from your community and your relatives. And because it’s so isolated you can get discouraged.  They weren't having a regular Ministry School or meetings for field service.  Plus, they didn’t have any Elders or Ministerial Servants to take the lead.  So, the brothers’ first priority was to get the Ministry School back up and running again, get some set arrangements for going out in the ministry again, and now they can focus on repairs needed to the Kingdom Hall. 

But, Connor is really far away from his family.  So, this small cat has decided to adopt him and become his family.  WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT! This little cat has found a way to get into the Kingdom Hall, and he crawls into bed with Connor (fleas and all) at night to keep him company.  It’s so weird that as a family we don’t really like cats, and yet those are the animals that keep attaching themselves to the Hughes Family.

                                                                                                                                                    LA PAZ

The following week (January 19^th), the girls left to meet Connor in La Paz.  This was the first time Priscilla had visited La Paz, and it’s now her favorite city in Bolivia.  Whereas most other cities have been built in a valley surrounded by mountains, La Paz is a city built on top of mountains, and sits 11,975 feet above sea level. It’s very common when you first arrive to get altitude sickness = getting dizzy, tired, nauseous, and if you’re not careful you can even pass out. I decide not to chance it this time because of my asthma (maybe in April I’ll visit).  

  

 The kids spent 2 days in La Paz and did a few tourist things like shopping, riding the sky tram which gives you a birds-eye view of La Paz , and eating some fast food at one of the two Burger Kings in the city.  Then, it was off to attend Connor’s Circuit Assembly in Rurrenabaque!

The rain has messed up a lot of the roads, so the kids decide to fly into Rurrenbaque.  They tell me the landing strip is just that – A STRIP OF LAND IN THE RAIN FOREST.  You get off the plane and then a bus  takes you to Rurrenbaque.  

This picture of the airport terminal helps you appreciate how rural the airport is!

And guess who the kids run into at the Circuit Assembly -- Madison from Indianapolis and his new wife! They are now living in the town of Chulamani, and it was a nice surprise for the girls to spend some time with their old friend. As a side point, the girls and I are hoping to visit Madison in April. 

Last October we met Casia, who lives in Rurrenbaque.  Casia is from Denmark and the kids got to spend some time with her during their visit. That is one of the really cool things about Bolivia, they kids meet really amazing young people who have come to Bolivia from all over the world to volunteer their time and energy in helping others. 

A lot of them are sent to these really remote little towns where life can be challenging. But, they do it and are some of the sweetest young adults you’ll ever meet (both Bolivians and non-Bolivians).  

BIG SURPRISE – IT’S RAINING AGAIN! IT NEVER STOPS…

After the Circuit Assembly, the kids head off to take a tour in the Rain Forest and go swimming with Fresh Water Dolphins. It’s weird because Bolivia is a land-locked country, but these dolphins can be found in the upper Madeira river basin.  The kids said it was really cool, but a bit nerve-racking because the dolphins are very curious.  So, they will swim up to you and lightly grab your foot to play.  But for the kids, especially when there were 3 or more together, it was a little scary having these big dolphins grab at you.  I don’t know if you can see them in this picture, but if you look closely you can see the top of a Dolphin’s head.

In this video, if you look closely, you can also see them pop up their heads a couple of times. 

The kids saw a lot of big alligators, and the tour guide told them they don’t have to worry because the dolphins keep them away from people – THE KIDS WERE HOPING THAT WAS TRUE!   They even saw lots of monkeys in the trees. I added this video of the monkeys but they move fast, and I’m hoping if you watch it full screen you can see them hopping around.  IGNORE THE GIRL’S CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BATHROOM & NO TOILET PAPER! 

Oh, the Hughes Kids – always finding ways to amuse themselves -- even in the Rain Forest.

SIDEPOINT: This is why I didn’t go, because there is no way I would have ever gotten in that water with those live critters. I’ve been worried for the last few days the kids got parasites in that water (commentary from Tracy)….

This weird looking thing is called a Capybara. It’s basically a rodent-like creature.  The kids say they are everywhere – SO WEIRD!

HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICS OF THE RAIN FOREST…..

The kids had a great time together and created another wonderful adventure/memory that they’ve been able to share. They said it was really beautiful and they had a lot of fun.  All four of us are hoping to have another adventure together in April.  Connor is planning on visiting us mid-April, and from there we’re planning to visit Lake Titicaca (famous landmark here). Then, the girls and I are planning on visiting some old friends in Irupana (where Aubri used to live).

  

Because of all the rain the roads have gotten worse, so trying to get home was harder. There have been a few llandslides, and some flooding.

ANYONE CARE FOR A SWIM?

But the girls said the inconvenience and challenges were well worth the trip. The girls were only gone a little over a week, but I was really happy to have them home.  While my week wasn’t near as exciting, I had a nice time going out to eat with some friends and field service.  I even had a friend of mine spend the night. That’s more my speed right now versus swimming with alligators!

So, all of the kids made it home safe and sound.  But, a day later Connor called to tell us that the Elder who went with him to Tipuani was injured – he’s in the hospital -- and won’t be returning for 3 weeks. So, Connor will have to handle things while he’s away = all parts on the Service Meeting, most of the talks on the Ministry School, the public talks, and Watchtower. Plus, the two Elders that serve in the congregation of Guanay (3 hours away) are Special Pioneers, and they had to travel to Bethel this week. So, it means that he’s also got to handle the Sunday meeting for them.  As he’s telling us what’s happened, a mouse runs across the floor of the Kingdom Hall/his bedroom, and there is a part of him that wants to hop on a plane and come live with us in Tarija.

Bolivia is one of those places where it’s nice to have a companion to laugh with, complain with, and just have a mental breakdown with.  The girls and I have each other, and so we’re able to help each other through the hard times.  Connor has had to adjust to a lot in a short period of time, and he’s had to take on a lot of responsibility that at times can be over-whelming.  Having a friend with him there really helped to not feel lonely. But, he’s taking things one day at a time. I know he’ll probably be irritated that I put this in the Blog. But, I’m his mom and I worry about him!

It’s my Blog and I can Do What I want To – Do What I want To – Do What I want To.  You would Blog to if it Happened To You!

Connor is planning on visiting us in April after the Memorial, and we’re looking forward to his visit.  

THAT’S ALL THE NEWS FOR NOW….

Love the Hughes Family

My How Time Flies....

Dear Family and Friends, can you believe we’ve been here 8 weeks?  So much has happened in such a short time, and it feels like we’ve been here a lot longer. Connor finally got his 2-year residency, and leaves for Guanai next week.  From the pictures I’ve seen it looks pretty, and there is even a river close by with fresh water dolphins.  But, it’s also closer to the rain forest and so I’ve been ASKING/NAGGING him to get some shots before he goes.  I’ve heard stories of other friends that have gone to the rain forest only to get malaria or some other illness.  So, each day I’m calling him with one purpose in mind – GET SOME SHOTS!

The Bolivian Immigration changes are still up-in-the-air, and many of the Need Greaters here still don’t know if they’ll be able to stay.  As of today they’ve told me and the girls we can get our one-year residency, but until we actually have it, I’m not getting too secure.  We’ve finally started making plans to see some of the sights.  Over the next 8 weeks we’re hoping to do a combination of sight-seeing/preaching trips.  There is a lot of natural beauty in Bolivia and it’s easy to plan trips where you go and explore and also preach.  We’re heading to Santa Cruz on December 31^st to visit Bethel, spend some time with friends, see the Rain Forest, and get the girls safely on their flight home.

As we get closer and closer to Jasmine & Jaina leaving, all of us have been getting sad.  We’ve shared so much together these last 2 months. We’ve laughed together – Cried together – and been there to help each other through challenges.  We're going to miss them both so much, and we want to make their last 2 weeks here fun and special. Twice this week the girls have gone into the mountains with friends to pick crops!  THAT’S RIGHT! - they’ve actually become farm helpers. What’s cool is that they get to keep what they pick.  So, we have these huge bags of carrots and potatoes.  Who knew the girls would learn some farming skills in Bolivia?

We’ve also gotten an unexpected pet – A CAT OF ALL THINGS! Our family has never liked cats – we’re dog people. Our landlords below us have dogs and cats, which they take good care of but live outside.  One of their Siamese cats (her name is Melissa), has decided that living outside is for the birds, she thinks she's a Little Princess, and so we are her new family. She comes in through one of the open windows and has just made herself very much at home. It's nothing to find her in bed with Priscilla or Jasmine and Jaina.

Speaking of Open Windows..... we finally got some screens – YEAH!  No more mosquito bites!  Living in Bolivia really does help you appreciate the small things in life – like window screens.  We all feel so special and pampered now.  But the cat, who has been use to just coming and going whenever she feels like it, now comes to the front door and cries for us to let her in.  I’ve honestly gotten really attached to the little fur ball

One of our friends was asked to leave Tarija for 3 months and go help a group that is 2 hours away.  He’s invited us to come next weekend and help preach, and so that’s one of the little trips we’re planning before the girls leave.  Anyway, we had a Going Away Party for him with his family last weekend.  The food was simple – grilled meat that they passed around on trays, some boiled potatoes and salad. Everyone danced until around 1:00 in the morning, and while there was some modern dancing, there was also a lot off native Bolivian folk dancing.

  

I’ve mentioned before how you meet friends that have come here from all over the world.  In Tarija there are a lot of brothers and sisters that come from New Zealand and Australia.  But, we’ve also made friends with a couple from England (Ben and Dawn).  They serve in the town of San Lorenzo (about 30-minutes away), and we’ve been able to visit them to help in the ministry.  San Lorenzo has a group of about 17 people.  We met Ben and Dawn while Connor was visiting and since then we’ve become good friends.  

Recently, the girls were invited to take a trip with them to see one of the famous sights in Bolivia – the Salt Flats in Salar de Uyuni.  The trip is really long, and it’s a really high altitude (bad for asthma), so a lot of the friends here warm me not to go.  But, the girls had so much fun, and even stayed in a hotel made of salt. 

Day 1 – They visit the old Train Graveyard built in the 1800’s.

Ben and Priscilla quickly become partners in mischief………  

Next they headed to the Salt Flats.  We’re told that at one time Bolivia was on the Pacific Ocean, but over time that part of the ocean dried up and left this giant salt lake

Here they all are at the Salt Hotel….

The last day is spent visiting Hot Water Geysers, and in the middle of nowhere they find flamingos, llamas, and other wildlife. 

So, that's all for now.  I’ve gotten some requests to provide more information about living here (what things cost, the preaching, things that are common and different, etc.).  In the next Blog I’ll try and provide some interesting information on living in Bolivia.